I presume it's lambs to the slaughter
Does anyone know how the Ukrainian men 18 to 60 are doing in the war, I never hear anything about it. I know they don't want non Ukrainians with no military experience there now so, how effective are the Ukrainians with no military experience?
Quantity matters, but quality is an important factor in this war. Despite being generally outnumbered and outgunned by the Russians, Ukraine is clearly able to outclass the invading force. It's in their interest to be selective about who they send forward and to ensure that anyone joining the fight gets the best training they can manage in the current situation. They can't afford to do what the Russians are doing, which is press-ganging any able-bodied idiot who isn't sharp enough or lucky enough to avoid "recruitment". Then to thrown them into the grinder, barely trained, with Cold War era kit.
I wonder why they stopped non Ukrainians with no military experience going over to fight? would a 22 year old from say the UK not be more useful than a 58 year old Ukrainian man? as a soldier, say the 2 men have similar abilities, only difference being age.
Those without experience or just basic training can be posted in back-line roles, security duty, support etc, that free up those who are trained and experienced for frontline service, so it's very valuable. Over time too they also will be better trained and the cycle can continue.
Although I'm certain there have been many well meaning and useful foreign volunteers joining the fight, I can easily imagine many military adventurists or "Danger Tourists" joining in simply to live out their warfare fantasies. People with such motivations might be a liability on the battlefield, and possibly stuff has happened already that has prompted this policy. With the older Ukrainian in your example, you are at least more sure of his motivation to fight and that he'll adhere to the Chain of Command when needed.
I read about a few psychos heading out to fight and people fighting with them were more worried about them than the Russians but I wonder how they vet the Ukrainians because if a war broke out in Ireland I know a few people who it would be dangerous to give a gun to.
China is not surprising but Brazil and India need to mind their step and South Africa? well, it still shocks me that these countries are willing to suck up to a crazed madman.
point to note, Brazil's president is on a fine line with his own people, India's Modi is on his last legs and South Africa is hardly a beacon of stability giving its in hock to China. I kinda feel better now
Many if not most 58 year old Ukrainian men would have done national service during the Soviet era, some might have even served in Afghanistan. Unless the UK lad had been in the Army previously, I would say the auld 58 year old Ukrainian ex service lads would be far better in military combat due to previous experience.
The old-timers being sent to the front line from Russia are seriously out of shape and are just cannon fodder. Russia cares not an iota for their own army as long as its makes up the yards on the ground. I doubt those old guys can even see straight these days never mind shoot straight.
Language would be a massive reason why they will only take foreigners with military experience. And even those I think will be assembled into units of similar language. Even in the logistics chain, imagine the hassle of having to translate everything to some well-minded bloke from Dagenham.
I have read an interesting analysis of the St. Petersburg's economics summit few days ago. Tokaev (Kazakhstan's president) said that his country will not recognize separatist areas of Ukraine and Putin was not talking about Ukraine much at all. It seems that since the war didn't go Putin's way, he wants Russians to forget and to ignore the conflict. After all, not many citizens of large cities are fighting in the Russian army, the soldiers are mostly from poor remote areas and dead soldiers coming to some village in Siberia are easy to ignore. By waiting, Putin is banking on Ukraine to give up or for the West to capitulate when the winter comes.
Those maps are on Twitter/#Ukraine and #Severodonetsk all the time.
They have no problem with it.
The reaction against the attempted wiping out of a European democracy is largely only present in Western Democracies.
Much of the world has different values, different outlook, different cultural views on conquest and subjugation, basically they don't give a toss what happens to Ukraine.
Watch out for the suicide drone at 0:14
The sound on this alone is amazing. Ammo. going up-
There’s a good few of them in my town but I haven’t got around to asking them yet.
The ‘its far away’ aspect is maybe somewhat true, but for Brazil in particular as far as their views on conquest and subjugation - they’re a nation that was conquered by Portugal and then gained independence. And within recent memory clawed their way out from under a military dictatorship to form a democracy (admittedly a democracy that’s struggling to find its footing after decades of systemic corruption that’s been hard to shift.)
This move won’t be popular in Brazils cities, São Paulo in particular, and Bolsonaro’s initial popularity amidst some groups is rapidly dropping. He’s fairly nailed down to get voted out in October.
Ukraine still have mandatory military service so even the young ones will have at least some military training. Most of them anyway.
Have a look the story of McNamaras Morans. During the Vietnam war at the behest of the Secretary of Defense McNamara the minimum IQ requirement for draftees in the US army was significantly dropped.
One thing I remember reading was a comical but tragic report of issues in training experienced by the army. Draftees of this type could not grasp the concept of gravity and drop. When in training for throwing grenades with an object (wall) between them and the target they would throw grenades directly at the wall as they could not understand that the grenade would drop when thrown over the wall.
The tragedy was high rate of casualties among those poor men and the rate of casualties they caused by mistake amongst their fellow soldiers.
Irish Morans take exception to your (unintended) slight!
Best video yet. Any rough translation as to what they were saying, or was it variations of 'Holy Merde!'
Regarding Ukrainian army: they don't need masses of men to sit in a trench holding a rifle. These is a country of 40 million, they can put a few million people into the army, but is it practical? They mostly need specialists and the army is limited by the quantity of equipment these specialists can use. If there is a good officer who is 60 years old, why not use him? But an unexperienced volunteer need to be trained which takes money and time.
Pity his likely replacement isn't much better on Ukraine.
Belarusian Ministry of Defense announces "mobilization exercises" from June 22 to July 1 in Homiel region bordering Ukraine
Real shame alright, they’ve been locked into this cycle of rubbish leaders since the revolution. Lula was great a few decades ago, but he brings a lot of that outdated mindset from then with him. Dilma was something of a step forward - with her own problems too - but was maybe too different from the status quo, and got totally done up like a kipper as a result. And then we went back to a choice between authoritarian righty Bolsonaro or workers party fossil Lula.
Most younger Brazilians I know are crying out for a younger progressive voice, but like with the US no one like that is able to build up the base to dislodge the auld lads.
Here's a short clip from today's maneuvers.
I am aware of the slight josip 😉
Unfortunately this is what these poor men were called at the time by the frustrated training sergeants assigned the impossible task of teaching men who could not tie their laces (true) with the skills required to handle weapons in combat. They were also referred to as McNamaras idiots, fools and fatsos.
The characters of Forrest and Bubba in Forrest gump were in reality based upon these unfortunates, with the caveat that there was no Forest Gump fairytale ending for many of the 40,000 McNamara victims that were sent to Vietnam.
So how am I supposed to take that slight then, mmm? Or are you trying to spell "moron"?
Ukraine has had constant conscription for decades with the exception of about a year between 2013 and 2014. Most of the men will have some vague idea of which end of a rifle goes bang.
Actually I was and I mis-spelt it twice!
And yes they have had conscription which means they can choose from the cream of the past conscripts. Ukraine will not suffer from the lack of quality required that the US suffered in the 1960s and Russia does today.
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